


Petals in the Wind

by Cakestellation



Category: Original Work, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Character Death, Fantasy, Original Universe, Pokemon Gijinkas, featuring active characters as well as NPCs, this is a story update for the PokeKingdoms group on DeviantArt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-05-09 01:32:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14706587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cakestellation/pseuds/Cakestellation
Summary: It all begins when the Shaymin, Sillaco Adenium, wakes up in an unfamiliar forest – lacking any and all memories except their name.





	1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> All Characters in this story belong to myself and Spirit-Okami on DeviantArt, plus one additional guest character! The art in this chapter is by Spirit-Okami and the character design of Bryony was made by KonfuziusMcPoop (on dA and various other sites)!
> 
> This entire piece was written as story update for the PokeKingdoms group on dA - a medieval fantasy setting RP and art group for Pokemon gijinkas! Check it out if you're interested! (We also have a discord server where most of the action happens - non-members can join as well to check out if they like it!)

When they first come to in the unfamiliar forest, Sillaco‘s head feels like its splitting in half. They sit up slowly, taking in their surroundings through squinted eyes. Where were they? How did they get in this place? And where… had they been beforehand? Questions rushing through their stinging head, one after another, making panic rise up in their chest. _What happened?_

They get up holding onto one of the trees and look down their body. On their belt they spot something familiar – a few stray herbs used for healing. That‘s right, healing! They know herbal medicine. Where did they learn, though?

As they try to gather any sort of memory, a voice rings out to them from behind. "Hello! Are you alright?" Sillaco turns around – a bit too fast, making another wave of pain rush through their skull. They lean against the tree to hold their head, quietly groaning in pain. "I don‘t know if I‘m okay… I think I hit my head somehow. Where am I?"

"You‘re in a forest, obviously! But I assume you can see that yourself. This forest is somewhat near the capital, Chamboire! Did you get lost in here?"

Sillaco looks at the stranger with a questioning expression. Chamboire? Capital of what? A frustrated sigh leaves their lips as they slide down the side of the tree back down to the mossy ground. "I guess you could say that I‘m lost."

The Shaymin glances back up at the stranger, studying their features. The person seems to be a young girl, 16 years old at most. Her auburn hair is put up with pink bows into two buns. She‘s wearing a brown cape tied together with a pink ribbon and a lighter dress with a cream colored apron, as well as brown boots. Though the most striking feature Sillaco immediately notices about her are her sparkling green eyes and the tooth gap in her wide smile.

Sillaco clears their throat and smiles politely. "What‘s your name, if I may ask?"

"I‘m Bryony Artinos!", the girl cheers. She practically flops down on the space next to Sillaco who wearily moves away a bit, also turning slightly to face her better. "And what‘s yours?"

Sillaco should have seen the question coming, yet they get sort of startled by it, because what _is_ their name? They ponder if they should make something up, when a quiet voice in the back of their throbbing head whispers a familiar name. Their name. "My name is Sillaco... Sillaco Adenium. But that‘s all I know... I seem to have lost all memories about myself other than that."

Bryony looks at Sillaco in awe, her hands cupping her face. "So you really don‘t know _anything_ at all?"

"Yes, not a single thing," Sillaco nods. "Well, there is one thing, but that has less to do with who I am and more with things I have learned and trained." They take the small sack off their belt and open it to reaveal that it contains a green powder. "This is a powder made from herbs that can help cure lots of illnesses. It doesn‘t taste very good but works very quickly most of the time."

Before putting the sack away again, Sillaco takes some of the powder between two fingers and puts it in his mouth, washing it down with a gulp from the small water flask that they had also found attached to their belt. They shudder a bit at the taste – bitter. Then they take a deep breath and already feel the pain in their skull dissipate slightly. With a long exhale they close the sack of powder und reattach it to their belt. Sillaco can finally concentrate a bit better again and with closed eyes, a sigh of relief escapes their lips. Much better.

A sudden gasp makes them snap their eyes back open. Bryony is staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at Sillacos cape, or rather the pink flowers starting to bloom on it.

"Are those Gracideas?! I wasn‘t sure before but you‘re a Shaymin, right?!" she exclaims, waving her hands in excitement. "I never thought I‘d ever get to meet one in person! You see, our king is a Shaymin too! He hasn‘t been king for that long of a time yet but everyone here loves him!"

Sillaco, taken aback by her sudden enthusiasm, quietly blinks a few times before they respond. "Yes, I am indeed a Shaymin. Your king sounds lovely - will you tell me some more about this kingdom?"

"Of course, Sillaco!"

 


	2. Suspicions

Bryony had decided to take Sillaco with her out of the forest and to the village, located on the opposite side of the forest that Chamboire is on, that she lives in with her father. She brings them to the small farm that is her home and explains the situation. Her father agrees to let Sillaco stay with them for a bit under the condition that they work on the farm.  
  
The next morning a shocking message reaches the village – King William had vanished the day before and despite all search efforts not a trace of him had been found so far. The new ruler, Queen Ayana, had been as distressed to announce this turn of events as the citizens are to receive it. Bryony takes the news especially hard, the king she had been looking up to so much suddenly gone. Sillaco spends the day comforting the girl and trying to cheer her up. Though on the back of their mind they can‘t help but feel intrigued – the king disappearing on the same day that they had woken up in this unfamiliar place? What a strange coincidence...

  
The next few months Sillaco helps Bryony and her father out as much as they can. Whenever they have the time Bryony tells Sillaco lots and lots about the kingdom. She also introduces them to all the other citizens living in the village and soon it feels almost like a new home to Sillaco. However, they don‘t manage to get completely comfortable, questions nagging them whenever their thoughts aren‘t already occupied. What had happened to them? They told Bryony that they probably had been taking a walk in the forest and hit their head or something along those lines. Bryony agreed that that is the most likely theory. Still, Sillaco themself can‘t actually believe that idea – there is one memory that they regained a few days after their awakening in the forest that just does not fit. Additionally, ever since they woke up they can‘t shake this weird feeling that something was off about the place they had found themself in, a creeping suspicion that something was very, very wrong.  
  
Nonetheless, Sillaco does good work on the farm and saves up the small wages they get for it. Influenced by their magic, the crops flourish like they never had before which surely doesn‘t go unnoticed by Bryony’s father. So when the day comes that Sillaco voices that they want to travel to other places to try and figure out what had happened to them, Bryony‘s father has a surprise for them in store. Because the crops had been growing so well thanks to Sillaco, they had gotten more income from them. Bryony’s father had set parts of the extra money aside for when Sillaco eventually decides to leave. For a few days Sillaco prepares for their departure, though a lot of their time is also spent with Bryony. The girl was visibly upset when Sillaco told her that they were gonna leave very soon.  
  
A lot of tears are shed by Bryony when Sillaco finally says Goodbye to the small family. Sillaco assures the girl that they will definitely come back for her sometime. Just before the Shaymin turns to leave, the teary-eyed Bryony whispers a confession into Sillaco’s ear, “You‘ve become like an older sibling to me!“  
  
Even as Sillaco is already way out of the village those last words float through their mind. They filled them with a happy warmth – yet at the same time they unexplainably caused a subtle sting in their chest, like a thin needle going through their heart.

  
At first Sillaco visits the surrounding villages and towns. They say that they are looking for someone named Sillaco and ask whether anybody knows about them. Nobody does. On top of that, some recognize Sillaco as a Shaymin, surprised to see one since currently King William‘s family had been the only family with any. This goes on for a while until Sillaco makes a decision – they‘re heading for Chamboire.


	3. The Queen and the Snake

The streets are buzzing with life as Sillaco makes their way to through the Capital of the Clubs Kingdom, Chamboire. Their routine of asking questions – and not getting the answers they search for – goes on, further strengthening their theory. A ridiculous one, simply crazy, many would claim if Sillaco were to tell them.

The sun is going to set in a few hours, Sillaco notes as they reach their final destination. In front of them is a large gate that leads to an even larger building – the palace. They want to attempt getting an audience with the queen, that is if the guards at the gate will let them through. Sillaco asks politely for entry, yet the guards don’t waver and tell them that the queen is not available. The Shaymin is about to start bringing up arguments to convince the guards, when a sweet voice interrupts the conversation. Sillaco turns to the source of the sound and it seems to be none other than the queen herself. Ayana gives them a friendly smile as Sillaco bows politely, then she directs her attention to the guards.

“Who is this and what did they want?”

“They’re a traveller and asked to have an audience with you about something supposedly important, your majesty.”

Ayana nods and looks back at Sillaco, now noticing their cloak starting to bloom with Gracideas in a few spots. She quickly tells the guards to let them through, already heading further inside towards the palace. Sillaco catches up to her in no time and realizes why she had walked away so abruptly – tears were starting to form in her eyes and she likely doesn’t want to publicly be seen crying at the palace gates.

Sillaco quietly follows her as she leads them through the halls of the palace before stopping in front of a glass door leading into a small round garden with a table and a few chairs. Ayana tells the maid that had been by the door to get the two some tea, then she enters the garden with Sillaco in tow.

The queen gently wipes the tears from her eyes after they sit down and starts to talk. “Now, what is your name?”

“Sillaco Adenium.”

“Why is it that you wanted to speak with me, Sillaco?”

“It has to do with King William,” Sillaco begins. “I have a theory what might have happened the night he disappeared, where he could be now. Could you tell me anything concerning that night that I might not know of, your majesty?”

Ayana seems to hesitate for a moment, her once more teary eyes looking unsure but also hopeful as she ponders what to reply. “I… found a letter he wrote after searching the whole palace for him. His words seemed very strange, it didn’t feel like it was really him who had written it. He had never mentioned wanting to leave the palace before and to just disappear without a trace isn’t what he’s like. It just didn’t fit, but it’s the only real evidence we have.”

Sillaco nods, this information doesn’t disprove their theory. “Let me explain some things about myself, if I may.” After an affirmation, they tell Ayana about how they woke up in the forest with no memories, how nobody seems to have ever seen or heard of them, how they feel as if they came from a different world.

“The night I… ‘appeared’ here, is the same night that King William disappeared. And a few days later, I regained one single memory: It was night and I was quickly making my way through a forest, as if I was trying to escape someone or something. Then, out of nowhere, a bright light appeared right before me. It seemed as if the space around it was being bent at its edges. I couldn’t stop my movement fast enough and fell into it. I remember the light closing around me and I couldn’t see the forest anymore. Then I lost conscioussness and when I woke up, well, I already told you what happened then.”

Sillaco pauses for a moment before they reveal their final thoughts. “I lost my memories and appeared from an unknown place to this kingdom, quite close to the capital, King William disappeared into seemingly nothing from the palace, the same night. My theory, however crazy it may be, is that for some reason William went into the forest that night and encountered the same strange light I did, causing him and I to trade places.”

Ayana listened attentively to Sillaco’s explanation. She seems intrigued, a thoughtful expression gracing her features. “Your theory might be unusual but I do not think it’s crazy. Rather, it sounds quite reasonable to me considering the strange situation,” the Florges smiles reassuringly.

Sillaco returns the smile politely. “If you allow me I would like to do some research in the palace library. I want to know if something like this has ever happened before, if there’s anything that can be done to bring the king back home.”

Before the queen can respond the door to the garden is opened, not by the maid that the two would have expected, but from a tall man – a Serperiorit seems - with piercing red eyes and a scar across one of them. He makes his way towards them and bows before Ayana as he stops. “Good afternoon. I was looking for you, your majesty”, he says. His voice is deep and there’s a slight accent to his words.

The man’s eyes catch on Sillaco’s form when he raises his head again, his gaze lingering on them for a few moments. Something in his expression makes Sillaco feel as if the man wasn’t happy to see them – but why?

Ayana returns the greeting. “Good afternoon, Louis. What did you need me for?”

“Nothing urgent, it can wait until later,” Louis responds. “More importantly, who is this stranger?”

“A traveler, they offered their help with searching for King William and an interesting theory as to where he might have disappeared to.”

With a frown Louis looks back to Sillaco, eyeing them suspiciously. “Are you sure we can trust this person?”

“I see no reason not to. Do you have any concerns about them, Louis?”

“If they know something about the king that would help us, who can guarantee that they might not actually have something to do with his disappearance in the first place?”

Sillaco frowns, Ayana doesn’t seem happy with this suggestion either. “Are you insinuating that they did something to William? That’s ridiculous! There is absolutely no way they could have gotten into the palace and to the king. The guards would have spotted them immediately.”

Louis shakes his head dismissively, starting to become angrier. “Why are you trusting this stranger more than your royal adviser? You don’t know who they really are, they just suddenly appeared out of nowhere in some nearby forest, who knows what their intentions could be!”

Sillaco who had stayed silent throughout the exchange so far, perks up at Louis’s choice of words. It was time for them to raise their voice now. “Louis. How would you know that? I have never met you before and certainly did not tell you where I came from. You have no way of knowing unless,” they shoot Ayana a quick glance before looking back to William, “you were there that night in the forest.”

Louis visibly tenses, their voice almost a hiss as they practically spit out a reply, “What are you implying, stranger?”

“You had to have been in the forest right by Chamboire, the night that I arrived there. The same night that William went missing. Maybe it is not me who shouldn’t be trusted, but you, someone with all access needed to get to the king.”

“You little--”

“They’re right,” Ayana interrupts Louis, her voice not as sweet as it would usually be and instead rather stern. “Weren’t you supposedly in Villam back then? What would you have wanted so close to the capital during that time? I’m sorry, but I cannot trust what you say right now.” The Florges looks behind Louis at two guards waiting there with the maid that was getting the tea. “Guards,” Ayana nods at them and they take Louis into their hold so he can’t escape the scene. The queen looks back the Serperior and continues, “I will have you, and your guards from the time you were supposed to be in Villam, interrogated and investigated. Any attempts to flee will only prove your connection to William’s disappearance, making you guilty for treason.”

Ayana nods once more at the guards and they take Louis away. He tries to convince her that she’s making a huge mistake, but the queen has long stopped listening to him. Instead she turns to Sillaco with a smile – the Shaymin is sure it was meant to be reassuring but it actually looks more sad and exhausted.

Sillaco closes their eyes with a sigh – the kind of events one little slip up could bring with it.


	4. Gates

A few days after Sillaco's meeting with Ayana, one of the guards that was with Louis when the king disappeared gives in during interrogation and confesses what happened. Louis and the guards had easily gotten into the palace and to the king. They had pretended they were back from Villam early and Louis wanted to take a walk with the king to discuss things. Not expecting an attack the king was captured and taken away from the palace. Louis took him to the edge of Chamboire where William managed to free himself. Using a small knife he had with him for the defense, the king was the one who gave Louis the scar across his eye. Then he made for an escape into the forest where the injured Louis quickly lost him. Louis made his official return to the palace a week later giving him a solid alibi. The cut over his eye was explained as an injury from a bandit that attacked him. Had he not slipped up in his debate with Ayana and Sillaco, the truth might have never come out.

In the meantime, Sillaco spends a lot of time at the palace library. It doesn’t take them long before they stumble upon something interesting in a book of tales from around the time that Solitaire was founded. The tale speaks of a family and their only child, a strange light appearing, and the kid suddenly being gone. The Shaymin finds a second tale that tells a similar story, except the other way around – once more there’s a light that opens up out of nowhere, but a stranger appears instead of someone else disappearing. There’s some more stories of people appearing and disappearing but none mention the strange light. Sillaco informs Ayana of what they found and they decide to extend the research throughout the kingdom and if needed even to the other kingdoms.

And so, Sillaco is off to travel again. At first they visit many places with big libraries and talk to history enthusiasts, as well as residents who could give tips as where to head next. Soon they become sort of known in the kingdom as the travelling researcher. Some people also start to realize that whoever helps them is likely to find themself with a sudden burst of plant growth, whether it be crops or flowers.

The Clubs stories seem to not have much more to offer, and so Sillaco heads for the next kingdom – the Kingdom of Hearts. There they find even less leads but several citizens advise the Shaymin to head for Eureka, the capital of the Kingdom of Diamonds. Located there, in the palace, is the biggest collection of some of the oldest scriptures in Solitaire, so it’s the most likely place to find something.

Ayana had anticipated that Sillaco might end up in Eureka one way or another and had given them a letter for King Sekhmet and Queen Meztli, explaining the situation, in advance. So when Sillaco arrives at the palace, bundled in clothing to hide their sensitive skin from the burning rays of sun, they can enter with no problems and go straight to the rulers.

The Queen is currently away when the meeting happens, only King Sekhmet is there to welcome the Shaymin. Sillaco hands her Ayana’s letter and asks for permission to access the palace’s scriptures. The king agrees and offers to help if Sillaco needs a translation for texts written in ancient hieroglyphs.

Sillaco spends the next few days sifting through information until they finally find exactly what they had been looking for. The text describes exactly what Sillaco knew of the strange light and explains what they had been missing. The lights are called the “Gate to other Worlds” - a direct way to literally travel from one world to another. They connect two places to one another: If the gate opens in one specific spot multiple times, it will always lead to the same place. The gates can appear at random or they can be created by specific Pokémon, using significant skill and powerful magic. The Pokémon that have the ability to open Gates to other Worlds are the incredibly rarely seen Ultra Beasts, as well as Solgaleo and Lunala.

With this piece of information Sillaco immediately confronts Sekhmet – can she possibly help find William? The reply is somehwat disheartening though. She is a Solgaleo and has the potential to learn how to create Gates to other Worlds but she was never trained in how to do it. Sillaco then remembers that the Queen, a Lunala, can potentially make them, yet once more their hopes are let down as Meztli, who really can create the gates, had been at the palace for the past few days but had to leave again for something important the day before.

Sekhmet wants to raise her voice once more but gets interrupted by a fit of coughing. Sillaco had noticed that she seemed a bit ill over the time they were at the palace as well. They bring up concern and offer to heal her - Sekhmet declines though. What Meztli had left for was medicine to help her wife get better and would return soon, so Sillaco’s help would be unneeded. However Sekhmet gets into another coughing fit and Sillaco tries to convince her again to let them do something. The King gives in and let’s the Shaymin do their work. Sillaco’s magic is quite strong and Sekhmet feels a lot better immediately.

The Solgaleo thanks them and confesses that she actually really wants to help Ayana, who had been in a depressive state ever since William had disappeared. Her voice sounds a lot less monotonous as she speaks. "You may not know this but the Clubs have helped my kingdom ever since the two signed an alliance years ago. Especially during our independence war with the Spades providing soldiers, food, and first aid. In return we, the Diamonds, will help our fellow ally. Once my dear queen has returned both her and I will pay a visit. Please let Queen Ayana know."

They agree to meet up at the Chamboire palace and then Sillaco is on their way travelling back to the Clubs Kingdom after stocking up on supplies. Once they are back at the palace, Sillaco immediately tells Ayana what they had agreed on with Sekhmet. Only a few days later the Rulers of the Diamonds arrive at Chamboire as well and it is time to set the plan into motion.


	5. Rescue

Once Sillaco saw Meztli open the Gate back in the Clubs Kingdom, they knew that the pain it had sent through their skull was a sign that they were going the right way. However, it was nothing to how they feel when the two arrive at their destination. The Shaymin isn’t able to stay upright, sinking to the forest floor while clutching their head and suppressing pained noises. Memories start shooting through their mind – they _know_ this forest. They know they had spent a large amount of time in this forest, it feels like… home. Yet there is something else, something less nice. A hurried farewell, distraught voices telling Sillaco to flee as quickly as they can. Flee from what? They cannot remember yet.

When the pain lessens a bit, Sillaco plants a single seed in the soil where the Gate had closed again. Then they take the hand a worried Meztli offered to help them back up. “I will be okay, let us continue. I think I might know where we need to go. This seed I planted will react to my magic when I get close to it again and show us where the Gate needs to open to bring us back.”

It doesn’t take the two long until they notice a structure visible through the crowns of the trees. It also takes Sillaco no time at all to tell Meztli to stop walking as soon as they realize what they’re looking at. There’s more memories rushing in, but this time the Shaymin was prepared and can handle the pain that comes with them a little better. Through gritted teeth they tell Meztli, while gently massaging their temples, “We need to go back a bit, there is a spot where we can stay for a while with very low chances of someone finding us. I need to explain some things and we need a plan on how to continue from here.”

More and more things are returning to Sillaco as Meztli follows them to the spot they mentioned. They go off trail and into a denser part of the forest, until Sillaco finds what they had been looking for: a barely visible space one can get through in between some bushes and trees. On the other side is a tiny clearing that’s completely shielded from any sight by the vegetation surrounding it. It’s the perfect place to not get spotted for a while. Sillaco knows this for sure, they had come here a lot when they were younger and had wanted some time alone. The two sit down and Sillaco begins to speak.

“I’m regaining lost memories. This is the forest that I was in when the Gate appeared and brought me to the Kingdom of Clubs. This spot right here is rather safe for now, but we can’t stay in this world for a very long time. I’ll explain everything in detail once we are back in Chamboire but let me say this much for now: The structure we saw is the palace of the kingdom we are currently in. That palace is where I grew up and also the most likely place for William to be, assuming he is still alive. If I am seen by the guards we will be in great danger because most of the kingdom wants to see me dead, especially the residents of the palace. However, I do know a route in and out of the palace that gives us a high chance of successfully retrieving William from the dungeon and getting back here safely.”

A hint of bitterness slips into Sillaco’s voice as they speak, despite their best efforts to talk in a neutral manner. The most recent memories from their home are clearing up more and more in their mind - they are painful and sad. They put all their focus on the current situation though, since that is a lot more important in that moment.

Meztli and Sillaco form a plan and as the sun starts to set, the two make their way towards the palace. With the help of the darkness and some magic spells from Meztli they slip in without rousing the guards and swiftly arrive at the dungeon. It is then that they are finally noticed, yet luck is still on their side. The guard that is keeping night watch of the cells immediately recognizes Sillaco and bows before them in greeting. “Your highness! I had given up hope to ever see you again!”

“There’s no need nor time for formalities right now. I cannot stay here long, for obvious reasons,” Sillaco replies after realizing the guard is one of the few allies they might still have in the palace. “Are you the only guard in charge of the dungeon at the moment? And do you know if there is a Shaymin being held captive here?”

The guard nods and points in a direction, already starting to lead the way. “I am the only one for tonight, that is correct. How do you know of the Shaymin prisoner, though? He appeared after you fled, claiming to be a king of the ‘Kingdom of Clubs’ or something along those lines.”

Shaymin and Meztli look at one another and hold eye contact for a moment. They seem to be thinking the same thing: _He really is here._

“Yes, he is the King of the far away Clubs Kingdom who msyteriously disappeared without a trace several months ago, the same day that I was forced to leave the palace and ultimately ended up trading places with him. We are here to bring him back home,” Sillaco explains as they walk. “How is his condition?”

“Huh, so he really is royalty? Well, there’s this illness that has been spreading in the kingdom, slowly, but it has brought many deaths already. At first it’s highly contagious through coughing and things, but after some time the symptoms change and it seems to just stay on the inside. And, well…,” the guard stops in front of a cell, “...your king here seems to have gone past the first stage.”

Inside the cell is the shape of a person, curled up against the wall. Sillaco gently calls out William’s name upon which the person turns slightly, his eyes widening when he recognizes Meztli. His voice is quiet and weak as he speaks, “Queen of Diamonds, Meztli Camapalotl? What…?”

“We are here to finally bring you back home. How are you feeling?” Meztli asks William as Sillaco instructs the guard to open the cell. They step inside and carefully maneuver William off the ground, while also noticing how hot William’s skin seems to be burning.

“He has an incredible fever. We need to hurry and get him medical attention,” Sillaco points out as they gently get the other Shaymin on their back to carry him. “Guard, can you cause some sort of distraction for the other guards so we can get out of here more easily?”

“Of course, your highness. There is one more thing I need to say about the illness, though. It seems to be resistant to magic and any medicine we have here. The symptoms sometimes lessen slightly with treatment but the illness stays.”

Sillaco thanks the guard for the information and the help, and then Meztli, Sillaco and William start their escape back out of the palace. The distraction seems to be helping, they encounter no other guards on their route. Sillaco hopes the guard isn’t found out to have helped them. They make it outside safely and all is going well until they are about to enter the forest.

“Halt!” a voice rings out and it feels like a punch in the gut to Sillaco. The three turn around cautiously and by the palace, a safe distance away from them, is a Sawsbuck – the king, judging from his appearance. A smirk spreads across his face and before he continues, Sillaco whispers to Meztli to go ahead to start opening the Gate. “If it isn’t my treacherous sibling! Are you here to cause even more pain to the kingdom than you already have, Prince Sillaco?”

“You’re…?” William starts weakly but Sillaco interrupts him to reply to the Sawsbuck, while also getting ready to run into the forest at any moment. “I have no more family and quite certainly no sibling. I can see only one traitor here and is most definitely not myself!”

And with that the Shaymin takes off into the forest, running as quickly as they can with William on their back. Behind them, they throw seeds and make them grow with their magic so that it’s easier to lose sight of the two. Once they reach Meztli she is already almost done opening the Gate. Making sure nobody sees them do this, Sillaco turns around to inspect their surroundings. When they’re positive they really are alone they step into the Gate, closely followed by Meztli who closes it behind them. Their retrieval mission is complete.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another illustration by the lovely Spirit-Okami!


	6. William

After making it back to Clubs, Sillaco, Meztli and William are escorted to the palace to meet up with Ayana and Sekhmet. William, who had passed out on the way, is immediately taken into medical care. Ayana had heard that the most proficient healer of the kingdom, Lady Jin, was currently in the capital and promptly has her called to the palace. None of the palace healers nor Sillaco or Jin can help William however. It's just as the guard had said - medicine and magic only temporarily lessen the symptoms. As soon as the effects wear off, William's condition rapidly gets worse again. After two days, the King finally wakes up once more and asks for the Queen and his rescuers.

The rulers of Diamond already made their return so it is just Ayana and Sillaco that meet up at the king’s room. There they sit on both sides of the bed that the weakened man lies in. William’s voice is quiet and shaky as he starts to explain why he had called for them.

“First of all, I want to thank you for rescuing me - without your help I would have surely died alone in that dungeon. I truly am grateful for what you have done for me.” He pauses for a moment to smile at the two others and to gather his thoughts. “Before I tell you what happened, please answer me this question: Where is Louis Basilisk?”

“He has been imprisoned since we found out he was responsible for your disappearance,” Ayana replies, explaining how Louis had slipped up in their conversation, leading to the confession of one of Louis’s guards.

“I see,” William nods, “I’m glad that he has been taken care of and cannot do any further harm. Now, since you already seem to know what happened with Louis, let me tell you about what happened after that. I was running into the forest to escape him when this strange light appeared before me. I couldn’t stop in time and fell right into it and as soon as the light went out, I found myself in a completely different forest. I tried to find a way out when I was approached by a group of knights who knocked me unconscious and captured me immediately. Then I woke up in the palace dungeon that Sillaco and Meztli rescued me from. A Deerling, Basil, who was at the time still prince and has since been crowned king, interrogated me. It seemed he thought I had some connection to the criminal that had murdered his father. I think he realized pretty quickly that I knew nothing, but still kept me to do work for him.  
A few weeks before you came for me, another prisoner was put in my cell as well. He was very ill, constantly coughing in the beginning, before he died one night from a fever. He had the same illness that I do now. It had apparently slowly spreading through the kingdom for some time, only ever being transmitted to others while they were at the beginning of the infection.”

William pauses to regain some energy, all the talking tiring him. Then he first looks at Ayana, before he turns his head, his eyes resting on the other. Sillaco feels like they know what William is going to continue with.

“In the time I spent there I also talked to those in the neighboring cells, including some that had been imprisoned for helping the supposed murderer escape. They told me about what had happened. The heir to the throne, Basil’s older sibling, was accused of being the culprit, but their most loyal servants didn’t believe it. ‘They have been framed!’, is what the group thought, ‘They have no reason to kill their father and they would never go as far as murder in the first place!’ The prisoners did not know where the heir had fled to, but they did tell me their name...”

“Sillaco Remeh Adenium,” the other Shaymin replies, an indescribable emotion present in their tone. Ayana’s shocked eyes now fall from William to Sillaco as well. “Yes, I am indeed the crown prince of Akahlion. And yes, I was framed for murdering my own father. I had nothing to defend myself with except my lack of a motive, so there was no way to convince the people I hadn’t done it. I know who the real culprit is, but I had no evidence. Basil believed I did it and told the citizens such, therefore I cannot sway their minds anymore. My brother was always loved by our people and they were never going to doubt what he said. So with no way to prove them wrong and Basil already scheduling my execution, the only chance I had for survival was to run. That day, I lost both my father and my brother, who had so suddenly turned against me, and I would have lost my life as well if it weren’t for those prisoners that told you about me.”

Sillaco sighs heavily, looking down at their hands and their cloak. None of the gracideas were in bloom. They didn’t have any time to mourn the loss of their father since they had no recollection of it until two days prior. Basil’s betrayal is occupying their thoughts, too. Some memories are still a bit hazy, but they are sure they could’ve done something to prevent everything from happening in the first place.

“Regardless of my end of the situation,” they speak up again, looking back towards William with a gentle smile, “you seem tired, all this talking must be taking a toll on you with your current condition. We should probably let you rest.”

Ayana agrees to the suggestion and so they leave William to regain some energy. Ayana offers Sillaco to join her for some tea – she ends up asking tons of questions about Akahlion. Just as they are finished with their conversation, a maid comes rushing towards them, asking to come see the king immediately. Worried, the two hurry back to William’s room.

The ill Shaymin’s state has worsened drastically in the short time that Ayana and Sillaco were gone. He can hardly keep his eyes open and his breathing is shallow and weak. The queen gently takes William’s cold hand, concern and desparation the only things shaping her expression.

“Ayana… my dear friend,” the king breathes out, his voice just barely audible. “My precious Ayana, you were always so good to me and I greatly enjoyed the years we have spent together… I would have loved to be together for much longer but... I’m afraid my time with you is running out.”

Tears start to form in the woman’s eyes as she clutches his hand tighter. “Please, no…,” she whispers, “You don’t deserve this… not so early…”

Sillaco gently places a hand on her shoulder as she starts to cry. They can’t decide which is harder to witness, William’s fight for life or Ayana’s broken pleas to let her friend just live for a little longer.

“Sillaco,” the other Shaymin quietly calls out, snapping the prince’s attention away from the queen, “those loyal to you… they have told me so much about you. Your kindness… your caring heart… I can see they told the truth in how you helped the queen, a total stranger in an unfamiliar kingdom… you are a good pers-”

William is interrupted by a gasp, struggling to fill his lungs with the needed air. His voice goes ever quieter and his eyes fall closed as he forces out his last words. “Something… tells me you… would be a… a great….”

Unable to finish what he had meant to say, William’s hand goes limp in Ayana’s and the queen breaks into a pained sob. Sillaco carefully puts one arm around her in a comforting hug, tears forming in their eyes as well. “May you rest peacefully, King William Mandevilla.”


	7. Farewell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recommend reading this while listening to the Track called "Emotion" from the Pokemon Black/White OST for extra feels

William’s funeral takes place only few days after his tragic death. There are flowers decorating the entire location: Lilies, chrysanthemums, gracideas, even a stray early blooming cherry blossom tree. Many have come to attend the event, the passing of their king having had an important impact on them. The one who is affected by William’s death the most however, is the queen. She stands at a podium behind the grave with a sorrowful smile, looking over the crowd that. Then she raises her voice:

“Today we are gathered here not only to mourn the loss of our king, but to remember him and give our thanks for the time he spent among us. It was my honor to serve the king as his royal adviser and have the chance to have called him my long time best friend. In all honesty, he felt to me like the brother I never had.

King William was greatly loved by all of you, his people. The simple dignity of his life, his virtues, sense of duty and responsibility for his kingdom, as well as his generosity, self-confidence, and determination – all of these were aspects of his character which won the glint of admiration, now here, now there, from the innumerable eyes whose gaze falls upon the throne. There is no doubt everyone present here believes he is gone.”

Ayana shakes her head, smiling gently.

“No, he is not gone.  
You can shed tears if you believe he is, or you can smile because he lived.  
You can close your eyes and pray that he will come back, orr you can open your eyes and see all the things he has left for us.  
Your heart can feel empty because you cannot see him anymore, or it can be full of the love you shared.  
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday, or you can look at a happy tomorrow because of yesterday.  
You can only remember that he is gone, or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.  
You can cry and close your mind, feel empty, turn your back – or you can do what he would have wanted: You can smile, open your eyes, share your love, and live your life to the fullest.”

She clutches her chest, a few stray tears glistening in the corners of her eyes as she continues to smile despite them.

“We must not forget that even though King William has moved on into the afterlife, he still continues to live on within our hearts.” She opens her arms wide, gesturing at the crowd and their surroundings. “His spirit will forever remain among us and in our glorious Emerald Kingdom.”

One of the tears rolls down the queen’s cheek and she just lets it happen.

“I discovered a poem recently that I found quite fitting and would like to read to you all."

 

“ _To My Best Friend_

 _I kept my promise, to love, honor, and share._  
_I kept my promise that to you that I would always there_  
_Until death do we part, that is what they say._  
_Oh my love why did you leave me that day?_

_I wasn't ready for you to say goodbye,_  
_as I look into the heavens with tears in my eyes,_  
_I wasn't ready for you to die._  
_My best friend why did you leave and not say goodbye?_  
_With so many questions and no answers as to why._

_I would have gone with you, however heaven knows best_  
_and took you home to give you rest._  
_I was not ready, no not just yet,_  
_With only one regret_  
_that I didn't tell you one last time_  
_I love you, and forever you will be mine._

_My best friend this you must know, and never forget._  
_I will see you again when heaven calls my name_  
_and say's it is time to go home_  
_and be with your best friend once again.”_

 

The tears are running freely down Ayana’s cheeks now, but she continues to smile through them. A petal from the cherry blossom tree floats her way with a breeze and she gently catches it from the air.

“A cherry blossom blooms beautifully, an explosion of pale pink petals. It is truly a euphoric sight to behold, yet the true meaning of the flower is the transience of life. After only a short period of time the petals drop to the ground an wither, falling like snow, flowing within the wind.King William’s life was a short one as well, indeed. Let the cherry blossoms remind you of his spirit travelling through the sky and the land. Let them also remind you that our lives, too, are fleeting. But, of course, the tree will bloom again and again, an ongoing cycle of new life. One king dies, yet another is born...”

She releases the petal from her hand to continue floating with the wind.

“Let us have a moment of silence for our beloved King, William Mandevilla. May he rest in peace.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem is by Diana Johnson, with two words edited to fit better!  
> Ayana's speech was provided as draft by Spirit-Okami, which I edited slightly and added narration.


	8. Memories

It’s a beautiful morning, there’s birds singing and the flowers of the royal garden are blooming beautifully. The crown prince of Akahlion had went outside as soon as they had gotten out of bed not long ago.

It’s only a handful of days until Sillaco’s coronation and it has them deep in thoughts a lot of the time. As they are walking through the garden, the Shaymin’s mind wanders to their younger brother, Basil. A deerling, somewhat short in stature, but otherwise not to be underestimated. While Sillaco’s features look pretty similar to their father, the Sawsbuck king, Basil went a lot more after their deceased mother, a gorgeous Shaymin queen. The deerling has her beautiful big eyes and her cute nose – his features generally having quite a feminine touch to them. Basil never disliked that fact however, it made him look soft and friendly.

Sillaco knows though, their brother is anything but soft. Friendly, yes, but definitely not soft. They know that under that gentle exterior lies a sturdy core and a secret love for mischief. Basil is a fantastic actor, able to lie into people’s faces without them ever finding out, he has them all wrapped around his little finger. The young prince is loved by everyone for his cheerful demeanor and his ability to make the people smile despite anything. He truly is a charming boy on the outside.

Basil seemed somewhat jealous recently, apparently feeling left behind by the fact that his older sibling is going to be crowned king. Sillaco had assured him that he will still have an important role in the ruling of the kingdom, Sillaco will not just forget about their brother after all. The current king had agreed with this as well. Basil was content with their promises – “I am happy with any position as long as I can aid with making sure our citizens are well,” is what he had said.

Sillaco’s thoughts are interrupted by the voice of just who they had been thinking about. It came from… Sillaco’s bedroom? The Shaymin frowns, what was their brother doing in there? Normally he would go search anywhere but their bedroom if Basil wanted to speak with them. Curious, Sillaco quietly sneaks up to the wall right by the window of their room.

Sobs can be heard from within, a shaky “Sillaco… how… I can’t believe this...” audible through them. Sillaco carefully takes a glance into the room, their eyes immediately falling on Basil’s form, hunched over on the floor by Sillaco’s bed, together with a guard. In his trembling hands he is holding an object that is shaped like– a dagger. A bloody dagger. Sillaco’s dagger that they they inherited from their mother. Covered in blood. _Why is there so much blood on it?_

“How could you Sillaco… How could you kill your own father? Our father?! How could you betray your own family like that?!” Basil forces these words through the thick tears streaming down his face, his voice full of anger, pain and sadness.

Sillaco turns away from the window and presses their body against the wall behin them. They can’t quite believe what they are hearing. Killed their own father? _What?_

Before they can think any further Sillaco is distracted by the sight of a guard approaching them. The Shaymin makes their way to meet the guard halfway, as to not be so close to the bedroom anymore, and asks what happened. It is as Basil said, their father has been killed. He was stabbed to death at some point in the night. Nobody knows who it could have been or how the culprit even managed to get into the king’s bedroom without being noticed.

Not quite sure how to process all these terrible things – their father being dead, apparently being framed by the culprit – Sillaco tells the guard that they want to go to their personal maid. When the two reach her the Lilligant is already worried to death. She immediately tries to comfort Sillaco about the loss while also reassuring them that the palace’s security measures are being maximised to prevent any further incidents and in hopes of finding the culprit trying to make an escape.

Sillaco is still too shocked about the situation to even shed tears about their father. Their mind is occupied with trying to make sense of everything that is happening. Who would want to murder the king and frame the heir to the throne? Only someone who is after the throne themself...

It hits Sillaco like a slap in the face just as Basil, along with the guard that was in the bedroom with him, comes storming in through the door.

Of course.

“Sillaco!” the young prince calls out, bloody dagger in hand. The Lilligant maid moves from Sillaco’s side and rushes towards Basil. “Your highness, is that…?” she asks cautiously, eyeing the blade, as the guard moves to take Sillaco into a secure hold to prevent any escape attempts.

“This is Prince Sillaco’s,” Basil starts as tears begin to flow down his cheeks again, “we... just found this hidden under their bed when we were making sure that they were not attacked as well.”

_Of course._

The shocked maid turns to the crown prince, clutching her chest in disbelief. “Your highness…! You didn’t…?”

Sillaco stays still for a moment. How had they not seen this coming? Of course, it could have only been Basil. The motive is blindingly obvious to them, Basil never was happy with the plans the king and Sillaco had for him after the coronation – he was always after the throne. Sillaco looks at their brother, really studying him. All this crying… this is not how Basil acts when he loses a loved one. He wasn’t anything like this when their mother had passed away, this is all just a facade. Of course nobody but the king and Sillaco would know that, nobody but them had been able to speak to Basil who had shut himself in his room, pretending that he was fine when he really wasn’t.

Maybe Basil knows that Sillaco would realize what is going on and that’s why he framed them? Anything they would say to defend themself and possibly try to incriminate Basil – it would all be regarded with suspicion.

“No, I did not,” Sillaco finally speaks up, trying to keep their voice as calm as possible, “I would never kill any innocent person, even less so my beloved father. It is correct that that dagger does belong to me, yet do you have any proof that I was the one that used it? That the real culprit is not just trying to put the blame on me? I do not have any motive whatsoever to have done something this awful.”

It’s silent again for a few long seconds before Basil quietly retorts, his head lowered as the tears continue trailing down his face. “What do you mean ‘no motive’? You just wanted him out of the way, didn’t you?” Their head snaps back up, staring into Sillaco’s eyes with a furious expression. “You wanted the throne completely to yourself did you not? You didn’t like the thought of father influencing your ways, and the idea to let me contribute tool was his idea as well, wasn’t it? I never imagined you to be so selfish… to betray your family and your kingdom… But you always were so unreadable, were you not? Quiet and calculating… Who knows what really went on in your mind, maybe you had been plotting this for a while?” His intense gaze finally shifts away from Sillaco and toward the guard detaining him. “Bring him to the dungeons.”

The guard does as told and drags the crown prince towards their destination, keeping a firm hold of them along the way. Sillaco reluctantly lets it happen because they know that if they try to run right now it would only paint them in an even worse light.

After Sillaco gets pushed into the cell and the gate gets locked behind them, Basil has some last words for his sibling. “You shall receive the punishment a murderer and traitor like you deserves.” And with that he leaves, but not before shooting Sillaco a smug grin when the guard isn’t looking their way for a moment.

It really is Basil who had done it.

 

 

Despite the discomfort of the dungeon cell and the realization of an impending execution if they don’t either somehow convince everyone of their innocence or find some way to escape the palace, Sillaco eventually falls asleep on the cold stone floor. It is not for long that they stay unconscious however – they are woken up to the call of their name in the middle of the night. Alarmed they jerk up from their curled up position on the ground to assess the situation. It’s hard to tell in the darkness but there is someone in front of their cell, with a small candle behind a hand to spend at least some light to navigate.

“Your highness!”, the voice whispers, “We are here to help you flee! We believe in your innocence and cannot stand the thought of you receiving an unjust punishment.”

‘We’? Sillaco recognizes the voice to belong to one of their most loyal guards, but who is with them? The Shaymin gets up and to the gate, just as the gentle rustling of a keyring is heard and said gate is unlocked. Getting closer to their rescuers, Sillaco can now sort of make out who is part of the group – the guard that had escorted them to their Lilligant maid earlier that day, that very maid, and some other palace workers that had always proven to be loyal to the Shaymin. It warms Sillaco’s otherwise currently broken heart to see them want to help, risking on their own safety in the process.

The group had made a plan to get Sillaco out of the palace with hopefully nobody noticing what was going on. The maid even prepared some supplies for the journey that the Shaymin will have to go on to escape their gruesome fate. Everything goes smoothly and soon they arrive at the forest that surrounds the palace. From here on Sillaco will need to continue on alone.

With a heavy heart the Shaymin embraces all their loyal helpers, sincerely thanking the groupfor saving them, despite the risk they have put on themselves with their actions. In return they receive a round of farewells and wishes to live a peaceful life whereever their journey will take them to.

Then, Sillaco heads into the vast darkness of the woods. They don’t get that far before an enormous light seemingly explodes into existence right in front of them. They try to stop their movement but to no avail – the brightness engulfs them, like it’s sucking them further inside. For just a moment, everything around them is white, before it all fades to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This time it's an illustration by yours truly!  
> Basil definitely wins brother of the year award I'd say.


	9. Height

When Sillaco wakes up, everything around them is black as well – but not because they fell unconscious accidentally travelling through a Gate to other Worlds. They also did not wake up on a forest floor, but in bed inside a room of the Chamboire palace that Ayana had given them.

They have been dreaming about their past essentially every night since regaining their memories, yet no other dream has been repeating as much as the one retelling the fateful day that their life in Akahlion had ended. It serves as a constant reminder that Sillaco could have prevented all of it from happening, had they not put off all the tiny warning signs as simple overthinking and overanalysing. However, it also serves as a reminder that they can and will never let something like that happen again.

With a sigh Sillaco sits up and decides to head for the spot they had spent time at during some of the nights that the dreams wouldn’t let them rest. In the highest floor of the palace, close to Queen Ayana’s bedroom, is a balcony that offers a beautiful view over a large section of the capital.

Anticipating that they may not get any more sleep that night and also not wanting to wander through the palace in their bed garments, Sillaco quickly gets dressed and sets off. The route they tend to take also passes the door to Ayana’s room, giving them the opportunity to check on her on the way. Sometimes Sillaco has found her unable to sleep as well, causing the two to end up distracting each other from their troubles with easy conversations. Ayana always stays in her room when that happens, yet this night there is no sight of her. How strange…

Sillaco thinks that she might have headed to the balcony since they had told her that they liked to go there when Ayana is, unlike them, actually able to sleep. With that in mind they continue their way to the destination they have set. Just as they reach it , though, they notice movement in the hallway in front of them. With their eyes having accustomed to the darkness, they can make out two silhouettes – one of a tall person wearing a cape, dragging the other silhouette along with them. _Could that be Ayana?_

Quickly, the Shaymin enters Sky Forme and takes action to prevent the tall person from getting any further. They are thankful for the many plants decorating the palace hallways as they offer the perfect way of blocking the path: Securing the escape route behind themself, Sillaco forms a barrier out of roses, the thorns making any attempt of breaking through a painful endeavor. Then, with their now increased speed and ability to float, they make their way towards the supsicious person and do the same with the roses in front of them. Using the moment of surprise that leaves the tall person with their guard down for just long enough, Sillaco takes ahold of the other apparently unconscious person – who from closer up confirms their speculation of being Ayana – and carries her away.

The Shaymin gently places the queen against a wall and lays a hand against her forehead. While they turn to face whoever had been trying to abduct her, they put a spell on Ayana that helps wear down the power of other spells and any drugs that may have been used to put her to sleep.

“You again?” A displeased voice rings out to them – it’s Louis Basilisk. How had he gotten out of the dungeons with no one knowing of it? “Can’t you just stay out of business that doesn’t concern you?”

Sillaco’s brightly glowing eyes narrow as they huff out a dismissive noise and take a defensive stance in front of Ayana. “You are trying to abduct the queen of this kingdom, who here does that _not_ concern?”

“But she isn’t _your_ queen, you aren’t even a citizen of this kingdom!” Louis retorts with a mocking laugh. “And once you are out of my way she won’t be anyone’s queen anymore! It will be me who takes the throne and our lovely Ayana here will have decided that she prefers to instead be a simple palace worker. If you help me with my plan, who knows, there might be something in it for you as a reward as well?”

Louis smiles at Sillaco expectantly, a hand invitingly stretched out in their direction, but the Shaymin does not yield. “Do you really think that is an offer I would take? I could explain to you the many reasons why I certainly do not want to help you, but that would just be a waste of time.”

The Serperior drops their arm again, expression falling back into an angry one. “Well, it seems you want to do this the hard way. I guess you just don’t like things to be easy.”

Louis draws his golden sword and charges forward. Sillaco, with no actual weapons on them, has to rely solely on evading and using magic. Sky Forme makes both of those things a lot easier and better: On one hand Sillaco can move as swiftly as the wind, in the air and on the ground, with impressive speed – on the other hand their magic gets quite a boost in power, greatly improving the effect of spells, as well as their plant magic. So even with the lack of a real weapon, Sillaco is in no way at a disadvantage.

“You know, this plan was so easy to pull off,” Louis starts to talk again as he fights. “I still had plenty of henchmen positioned in the palace after you found me out. It was just a game of waiting for the right moment before I had them get me out of here during that annoying William’s funeral. They even took care of making sure that nobody would figure out I am not actually in that cell anymore.”

Well, that certainly explains one thing.

“Getting back in here was just as simple! My dear friends maneuvered me in without anybody seeing a thing and one of them supplied me with this extremely quick working sleep powder. All of the guards on the way to Ayana’s bedroom were put to sleep in no time and then I was able to just walk in! Apparently she had been waiting for you to come visit her and she was just lying there defenselessly with her back turned to me. It’s like she set herself up for an abduction!”

How can this guy talk so much while constantly swinging a sword around? Shouldn’t he be focusing on more important things? Ironically, it is Sillaco who lets their guard down for just a second to glance in the queen’s direction and check if she still looks alright. Because of this they don’t manage to dodge the golden blade coming down on them perfectly – the Shaymin remains unharmed but their cloak receives a large cut. They will have to pay more attention to figuring out Louis’s movements…

The Serperior pays the damage he did to the cloak no mind and continues his monologue. “I wanted to have a nice talk with her, I offered her to just surrender and give me her throne with no harm done to anyone, but just she wouldn’t agree! So I let her get the rest she was missing out on with the last of the sleep powder. Everything was going according to plan, “ he angrily swings his sword in one wide swipe in front of him to make Sillaco dodge back, “until YOU decided to ruin it!”

Louis’s attacks grow more and more aggressive now, causing Sillaco to get backed up further and further – right onto the very balcony they had intended to go to initially. The fight has been going for longer than they wanted it to, their time in Sky Forme running out soon. What Louis doesn’t know is the effect the cut in Sillaco’s cloak has, nobody in this world would be able to know – Sillaco hasn’t told anyone what the intention of the garment is. It redirects excess magical energies in Sillaco into the many gracideas woven into the cloak. While not using their magic, the power makes the flowers bloom, but when they use spells and such or enter Sky Forme the cloak serves like a tank of magic reserves. It allows them to stay in the form for a much longer time than without it. This is where the problem with the cut comes in, it’s like a leak and released quite the mass of energy into the surroundings. It was better to pretend everything was fine, though – otherwise Louis would just use it to his advantage.

When Sillaco hits the railing of the balcony, they get an idea. They jump right over it and stay in mid-air just past it. Louis cannot follow them here and they have a much better chance of knocking the man out from this angle. Louis climbs onto the stone railing to get closer to the other.

That’s when Sillaco notices a distant movement out of the corner of their eye. It’s Ayana, disoriented and stumbling in their direction. Their eyes meet for just a moment, then her expression shifts and she shouts out Sillaco’s name – a warning. Louis noticed Sillaco’s slip of attention and makes for a risky move, lunging off the railing to the floating Shaymin, sword ready to strike. Sillaco can just barely save themself from the golden blade making contact with their body, though suffering another cut to their cloak. Additionally, Louis grabbed ahold of Sillaco’s leg to keep him in the air. Madness burning in his angry red eyes, he makes for another swing with the sword he still holds in the hand that isn’t clinging onto the Shaymin. Sillaco reflexively tilts backwards and kicks at Louis with their free leg, hitting Louis with enough force into his face that he loses his grip on both Sillaco’s leg and the sword. And so, he falls from the highest floor of the palace.

Sillaco can feel their powers slipping away, slowly but surely starting to go from floating to falling. The fight had been too draining with the damage done to their cloak.

And so they, too, fall.

 

“...aco!”

Is that… Ayana?

“Sillaco! Can you hear me, Sillaco? Oh, please be okay...”

Sillaco forces open their eyes. The queen’s worried, teary expression is the first thing they see and her relieved gasp the first thing they hear. They realize that they must have lost consciousness during their fall. A pained grunt escapes their lips as they slowly sit up. It doesn’t feel like they broke any bones, but they definitely got some serious bruises when they hit the ground.

“Is Louis-”

“Louis didn’t survive the impact,” Ayana cuts them off, glancing to the side for a moment, before continuing. “Even if he did survive the initial impact, well…”

Sillaco turns their head in the direction Ayana had looked and spots the man not far away from them, with a couple of guards inspecting him. A puddle of blood surrounds him, lying on his stomach with one arm stretched out front. The most noticeable detail however is his sword stuck through his lower back.

Ayana smiles worriedly at the Shaymin. “How are you feeling?”

“Bruised, but nothing too serious I believe.”

The Florges sighs in relief and offers a hand to help Sillaco off the ground, which they gladly take. Once they are on their feet they can already see more people rushing out of the palace to check on them. Sillaco thanks Ayana and then gives her a gentle smile.

“I think things will be okay for us from now on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The drawing in this one is also mine! (90% of the shading was done with no pen pressure and in the middle of the night, so, take that as you will)  
> Also rest in pieces Louis. Nobody will miss you lol


	10. Blooming

Very soon after the attempted abduction, the queen announces that she will retire from her position – it was never meant for her and with the loss of King William, Ayana feels she cannot go on as ruler. She already has decided on a successor, though. She keeps the identity of the new ruler hidden for a bit, before revealing that it will be a royal from a different, far away kingdom who has proven themself to be worthy of the throne.

Sillaco Remeh Adenium.

The date that was chosen for the coronation of the new ruler is intentionally one day before the start of the annual Petal Festival. One reason for that being that Chamboire is filled to the brim with flowering trees and bushes, which makes for a fantastic scenery. The other reason is that the start of the new king’s reign will immediately be celebrated along with the festival.

When the day finally comes, it is as if half the kingdom has gathered to witness the event in the capital. The place is brimming with excitement, everyone anticipating what is about to happen.

In the center of attention is Ayana standing at a podium, with Sillaco to her right and her old crown to her left. It had been modified to better fit its new owner, with golden leaves reaching to the back of the head and three petals on each side by the temples.

“My dear citizens,” the Florges begins to speak, “it is a great pleasure to welcome all of you to this special occasion, as does it bring me immense joy that many from the other kingdoms have gathered with us once more to celebrate the Petal Festival starting tomorrow.” Ayana claps her hands together with a chipper expression, her voice filled with excitement as she continues. “It is such an honor to not only be celebrating our annual festival, but the coronation of our new king as well.”

The tone of her voice changes into something a bit more serious.

“There was a treacherous snake among the kingdom, the true villain who is to blame for the disappearance of our dear King William, who he may rest in peace. Yet a hero was sent to us from a distant kingdom, far far away from Solitaire. A selfless prince, known in the kingdom as the Travelling Researcher, who had exposed the Snake and taken it upon themself to find out what had happened to the missing king and to bring him back home. When the Snake struck again, our hero was able to defeat the evil once and for all. They truly have shown and proven themself worthy of becoming our next great ruler. Kindness, bravery, responsibility – these are all traits they possess which I can see fitting for a king. I wish for every citizen to trist me in my decision of who I am giving the title. The Kingdom of Clubs will be in good hands.”

Sillaco kneels down in front of the Florges as she takes their crown off the pillow I had been resting on. Ayana smiles brightly at the Shaymin before her.

“It was a true honor to have served as your queen,” she ends her speech and places the crown upon Sillaco’s bowed head. “I hereby declare Sillaco Remeh Adenium as the new King of Clubs!”

 

 

The crowd erupts into cheering, chanting “Long live King Sillaco!”. At the same time more and more flowers start to blossom on the new king’s cloak – there are even some sprouting from their head – as they get up from the ground. Ayana makes space for Sillaco at the podium and the crowd slowly quiets down to listen to the words their new ruler wants to share with them.

“Citizens of the Emerald Kingdom, it truly is an honor to be standing here before you. My heart is filled with joy on this beautiful day and I am grateful to be given the title of your new king. When I first arrived here, in the Kingdom of Clubs, I knew nobody and nobody had known me. Yet I was welcomed by all of you kind people as if I had lived here my whole life. I learned so many great things about you and about this kingdom I had found myself in – all of which have become incredibly precious to me. Looking back at all the memories I have made here so far, I realize now that in this kingdom with all of you amazing people I have found my home, the place where I was always meant to be. I thank each and every one of you for making me see this. And I thank you for accepting me into this position – I will make sure to serve you as king with one very important goal in mind: I want you all to feel as happy as I feel to be standing here and to live your life to the fullest. May your lives be as beautiful as the flowering tree we are amidst of today!”

Once more the crowd bursts into cheers as the flowering trees’ petals glide through the wind. Sillaco smiles at Ayana, at the citizens, at all the things the Shaymin had begun to treasure so dearly.

They truly did find their home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....aaaand that's the end! With one last illustration by Spirit-Okami! (She also provided me with a draft of Ayanas speech, again)  
>  A huge thank you to everyone who helped me with this project (Spirit-Okami, KonfuziusMcPoop, Rani-ki, Neruchi (on dA)) and an even bigger thank you to everyone that read it! I really put a lot of effort into this and to be honest, this initially wasn't supposed to be any longer than 3k words haha  
> The PokeKingdoms group has reignited my interest in writing, something I had abandoned many years ago and never thought I would pick up again - this story only escalated into something this long because I had so much fun writing, really!  
> So at this point, once more, thank you for reading!


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